The father of the American founder of the Geise family in Amsterdam was a descendant of a German family, for many generations natives of the kingdom Pommern, Prussia, once an independent kingdom, now a part of the great German Empire. Johann Geise was born in Pommern, where he lived and died. He married Catherine F. Wangerie, of the same locality. They had issue.
(II) Frederick, son of Johann and Catherine F. (Wangerie) Geise, was born November 16, 1843, in Stoelitz, Pommern, He learned the blacksmith trade, which he followed until August 30, 1863, on which date he enlisted in the Germany army for active service against Austria. He had previously served as a citizen soldier as required by German military law. He fulfilled all the requirements of the law in regard to military duty and was honorably discharged March 24, 1868. During his term of active service he was in several engagements but escaped injury. After receiving his discharge from the army, which seems to have been the one link holding him to his native land, he decided to emigrate to the United States. He sailed from Bremen for New York City, where he remained for a time, later was in business in Amsterdam, later going to Topnotch, town of West Galway, Saratoga county, New York, where he established a blacksmith's shop. He later removed to Akin, where he operated a smithy for several years. He afterwards abandoned his trade to become a laborer in one of the many mills of the section. He later purchased a good farm at Scotch Bush, which he cultivated for several years, then retired to Amsterdam, where he died October 5, 1904. He married Mary Danfield, of German parents, and most likely born in Germany or very soon after the family emigration to the United States. She died at the age of twenty-four, leaving four children:
- Minnie, died in childhood.
- William, see forward.
- Mary, married Charles Hugo, of Rockton, and has Earl, Victor, Harvey and John H. Hugo.
- George, a farmer of Montgomery county, unmarried.
Frederick Geise married (second) Frederika Morganstern, who bore him a son,
- Nathan J., March 6, 1881, died in childhood.
(III) William, oldest son of Frederick and Mary (Danfield) Geise, was born August 6, 1870. He was reared to farm labor, which he followed for eight years after reaching manhood. He was energetic, thrifty and accumulated sufficient means to purchase a good farm of one hundred and twenty acres at Scotch Bush, which he cultivated until 1904. Since that date he has leased his farm and resided in Amsterdam, where he is constantly occupied at general mill work. He is a member of the German Evangelical Lutheran church, and a decided Republican. He married, in Amsterdam, February 26, 1896, Rosa Schumm, born in New York state, educated in Germany, where she was taken when a small child. She is a member of the same church as her husband. Children:
- Lena C., born March 6, 1897.
- Lillian M., August 16, 1900.
- Lydia C., twin of Lillian M., died in infancy.
- Rosa A., born October 29, 1907.